Star India, Sony Pictures Network and Reliance are fighting it out for the right to broadcast India’s home matches till 2023, and after rigorous bidding on the opening day in Mumbai on Tuesday. The process will continue on Wednesday that starts at 11am. And if Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) insiders are to be believed, the rights for Indian cricket is set to break the record Rs 54-crore mark achieved by Star when it won the Indian Premier League media rights in September 2017.

This means that the BCCI would get more than the Rs 54 crore it is set to get from Star India for broadcasting every IPL match. On the first day, the e-auction stopped at Rs 4442 crore. Interestingly, that is already 15% more than Star TV's bid of Rs 3851 crore in 2012. And while both Star and Sony have spoken about the need to invest judicially, it is no secret that it is the Indian rights that drive the broadcast business. So, even though Star has the IPL and ICC matches and Sony has seven boards under its wings, bagging Indian cricket would be the icing on the cake. Not to forget new player Jio.

While Star and Sony are now fighting it out for the rights with Jio, the two major players in the Indian market had earlier both written to the BCCI making their displeasure known as the board has said that the rights winner will have to pay the same amount for India and non-India matches.